Annotated Documents: Texas Superintendent Contracts
As Texas schools brace for what could be as much as an $8 billion gap in state funding, they are scrutinizing every last dollar they spend — from landscaping to teacher stipends to gas for school buses.
About 80 percent of a school district’s budget is spent on staff. For most districts, there's no way to pare down expenses without reducing the number of people employed. Some in the Legislature and public have questioned the amount schools and school districts spend on administration; others have wondered if the high pay of many superintendents might be a place to start ...
Comments (7)
J.R. Labbe via Texas Tribune on Facebook
More good stuff from the peeps at Texas Tribune. Keep shining that light onto public records, Evan and Ross.
D W
just wondering. why do we have so many school districts to begin with? wouldn't we get all kinds of cost improvements if we consolidated them? true some would be huge (consider a Dallas-Tarrant-Denton-Collin county school district). or at least maybe we could create state run school district support centers. where lots of administration functions reside.
Autumn Williams Keiser via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I sincerely hope everyone takes the time to READ this. The lead-in seems to support the "fat cat" administrator image the right keeps pushing. But, the numbers reveal (yet AGAIN) that school admin bloat is just not anywhere near the cause NOR cure for the budget situation we face. The TT is doing it's job bringing us good, solid info. It's up to us to digest it properly.
Robert Domitz
When I read your headline, I jumped to the article to look for real data. I was hoping to find a spreadsheet showing, as a minimum:
- Name of District
- Student enrollment
- Number of schools
- Number of teachers
- Number of administrators
- Salary and cost of benefits for the superintendent
I believe that too many school districts have too many administrators per student and that most, including the superintendent, are overpaid. I notice that when districts talk of layoffs, it is the teachers that get cut, not the administrators (or is this just incomplete or biased reporting?)
Mary Lynn VanZandt Neill via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Maybe he has bills showing calls to Mexico,or takes $$ to translate to Spanish. Law west of the Pecos and we're shocked?
Sonora Hartley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
For that amount he could have his own private communications satellite!
Cathy Obermeier
Dear Morgan & Evan Smith -
I appreciate the information you provided and find in interesting and useful. However, I do think, for an interesting point of reference, before someone starts to throw stones - they should look in their own back yard. The Texas Tribune is a non-profit organization which is funded by donations. Below are Tx. Tribune Salaries - it has to be something to consider when you write these sort of reports.
"Evan Smith’s (of the Texas Tribune salary) $315,000, three others at six figures. The reporters make competitive wages—up to $90,000 (this information is 3 years old -- I haven't spent the time to dig up the mot recent numbers, but I'm willing to guess these numbers have not decreased in the last few years)
Superintendents have an enormous amount of responsibility. They are the CEO's of what we hold most dear and precious in our lives -- our children. Our children are both our today and our tomorrow! Superintendents are held responsible for not only our children's education, but their safety (who can even fathom another Columbine) , their social skills (no bullying allowed!) as well as their athletic accomplishments (we all blame the Sup when the Athletic Director fails to perform -- FIRE HIM, right?)
Texas Tribune - I agree that we all need to see information - but, don't throw stones at glass houses. I think I learned that in about 2nd grade. Do I agree that the Texas Education System needs reform?- yes. Do I think the blame can fall at one position.
As a Texas Monthly subscriber, I know that Evan Smith historically has provided journalism that reports both sides of the story and is un-biased. Although one could argue that the information provided is nothing but accurate, I find it disappointing and lacking in a un-biased approach. You can do better.